84.6 miles, 2,900 ft ascent
Today and tomorrow we will be riding near the shores of Lake Ontario. In the next two weeks we ride through major cities in eastern Canada including Kingston, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City. All of us are looking forward to exploring these cities both on and off of our bikes.
Last night we were serenaded by a bull frog chorus in the campground. One enthusiastic fellow even jumped into my tent when I unzipped the door. He was small and was just having a very hoppy day. (Technically, mine is a two person tent, but it could accommodate one person and a pet.) I returned little Hoppy the frog to his chorus to sing another day. Having been on the road for 6 weeks now, I miss our dog LB, so I didn't mind the company of the amphibian at all.
Serious case of campground homesteading shown below. I don't know if they were fortunate enough to have had a visit from Hoppy or not.
Conditions for today's ride were outstanding! The morning temperature was just above 60F, and the afternoon high was in the low 70sF. Because the sky was overcast, hydration was not an issue, and I drank only 1 1/2 bottles of water in 5.5 hours of riding. I rode solo and pushed hard to get in early, so that I could use the campground laundromat. Even then, I took time for photos, mainly of the natural beauty of Lake Ontario, my favorite of the Great Lakes thus far.
Just north of Lake Ontario, we came upon many apple orchards. This particular variety of apple tree is planted three feet apart in rows. I have never seen an orchard with trees so closely spaced.
More mature orchard of the same trees.
Our first view of Lake Ontario.
Soybean field extending all the way to the lake shore.
Likewise, a field of hay went right to the water's edge.
We rode through one of many port communities on the northern shore.
Downtown Port Hope is thriving.
Lunch dessert was a Nanaimo bar, the "Canadian brownie", a staple at every bake sale.
Some general information about Lake Ontario: The primary inflow is the Niagara River from Lake Erie, and the outflow is the St. Lawrence River.
This impressive building is Victoria Hall in Cobourg, Ontario. The Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, was in Cobourg for the official opening of the hall in 1860. During the 1970s a major renovation took place to restore the 100 year old building's grandeur.
"The Town of Cobourg was founded in 1798 by United Empire Loyalists and was originally a group of smaller villages like Amherst and Hardscrabble, later named Hamilton. In 1818 it was renamed Cobourg in recognition of the marriage of Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. By the 1830s Cobourg had become a regional centre due to its harbour on Lake Ontario." https://www.cobourg.ca/en/my-cobourg/History.aspx
Additionally there is a connection to Prince Albert, Prince Consort of Queen Victoria.
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Francis Albert Augustus Charles Emmanuel;[1] 26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) was the consort of Queen Victoria from their marriage on 10 February 1840 until his death in 1861. Albert was born in the Saxon duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld to a family connected to many of Europe's ruling monarchs. At the age of twenty, he married his first cousin Victoria; they had nine children. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert,_Prince_Consort
Sadly this Cobourg church is currently not in use, due to a need for restoration, and the congregation is requesting donations for that purpose. Note that it is fenced off and inaccessible. Many Canadian churches are in this state, according to my colleagues.
Sailboats enjoying the beautiful day on Lake Ontario.
Another shot of the beautiful lake.
And even in such a beautiful and peaceful place, COVID remains with us. Here is a COVID mobile to aid in vaccinating the Canadian nation.
Visit again tomorrow to see more beautiful views of our journey!
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